Former Premier William Lai is challenging President Tsai Ing-wen's bid for reelection in the Democratic Progressive Party's presidential primary. Grassroots members are worried about an internal split in the party and the heads of many local party chapters have privately joined together, calling for a Tsai-Lai pairing. There are also people calling for a national congress to use the imparity clause to overrule nominees that "step out of line." Observers see this as an attack against Lai. Legislative Yuan Vice Speaker Tsai Chi-chang admits this would have a huge impact if the party proceeds like this.


Former Premier William Lai has kept a high profile since announcing his presidential bid and is currently on a book tour. As President Tsai Ing-wen is seeking reelection, many Democratic Progressive Party members are worried about an internal split and the heads of local chapters plan to propose a Tsai-Lai pairing to DPP leaders. Lawmaker Yu Tien, who heads the party's national association of chapter representatives, supports this idea but is worried about further conflict.

I don't know why all these things came up all of a sudden. Actually, I don't think this is the best way to resolve this because everyone is still coordinating. If everyone joins together, I think it would strike some sensitive nerves. I don't want this kind of situation to happen.

There have also been calls within the party to convene an extraordinary national congress to use an imparity clause to get rid of presidential candidates from the primary. Many see Lai as the target. During a radio appearance on the 3rd, Legislative Vice Speaker Tsai Chi-chang and lawmaker Lin Ching-yi said the party has no "reelection guarantee" system.

Our party system allows local chapter heads to have their own system. However, party leaders of course have their own issues they need to coordinate. They naturally want to resolve this as quickly as possible.

If a national congress is convened and party members decide to recruit President Tsai -- that's called a system. What would be the political effect of this? It's hard to predict. Like you just said, the DPP could collapse. (I think it's really hard to predict. Do you think there are any advantages?) I think it will have a huge impact. The system does not guarantee President Tsai a second term. The system also allows them to submit a proposal.

Lai is garnering support for his run, while Tsai has begun trying to develop a relationship with voters. The battle between the two kicked off with a campaign event organized by supporters on the 3rd.



前行政院長賴清德積極投入黨內初選，從新書發表後，每天都有公開行程拚選戰，挑戰總統蔡英文的連任之路。雖然民進黨內正值協調階段，但賴清德對走完初選程序的堅持，引發基層焦慮，不少地方黨部主委私下串連，準備前進黨中央，高聲疾呼「蔡賴配」，兼任民進黨全國主委聯誼會長的立委余天，贊成蔡賴配，但也擔心引發更多的衝突。

民進黨立委 余天表示：「我不曉得今天怎麼會突然有這麼多情況發生？其實我是不建議這樣子，因為現在還在，目前還在協調當中，如果用這樣串連的話，我覺得會比較，會刺激到某一方的敏感神經，我不希望有這種情形發生。」

民進黨內也傳出有人釀釀提案，召開臨時全代會，進而依提名條例規定霸王條款，否決初選產生的總統候選人，外界質疑劍指賴清德，立法院副院長蔡其昌和立委林靜儀3號上午接受廣播專訪時指出，黨沒有保證連任的制度。

民進黨立委 林靜儀表示：「黨的制度裡面，本來黨的地方主委就可以有他們的制度，但是黨中央當然有他必須要去協調，跟趕快把事情折衝下來的態度。」

立法院副院長 蔡其昌表示：「全國黨代表大會都開會，決定徵召蔡總統這個叫制度，那政治上的效應是什麼？這個就很難評估，就如同你剛剛講說，可能民進黨就垮了。(我覺得很難評估，你覺得會有好處嗎？)我覺得會有很大的衝擊，制度沒有保證蔡總統連任，制度也可以讓他們去提案。」

初選之戰，賴清德用他的方式尋求支持，蔡總統也開始和民眾博感情，3號晚間舉行了首場「辣台派開講」，與支持者面對面，蔡賴對決，已經箭在弦上。